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position on the hill…side close to the agency。 At the appointed hour
both young men appeared in their handsome war dress； galloped to the
top of the hill near the encampment； and deliberately opened fire on
the troops。 The latter merely fired a few shots to keep the young
desperadoes off； while Lieutenant Pitcher and a score of cavalrymen
left camp to make a circle and drive them in； they did not wish to
hurt them； but to capture and give them over to the Indians； so that
the latter might be forced themselves to inflict the punishment。
However； they were unable to accomplish their purpose； one of the
young braves went straight at them； firing his rifle and wounding the
horse of one of the cavalrymen； so that； simply in self…defence； the
latter had to fire a volley； which laid low the assailant； the other；
his horse having been shot； was killed in the brush； fighting to the
last。 All the while； from the moment the two doomed braves appeared
until they fell； the Cheyennes on the hill…side had been steadily
singing the death chant。 When the young men had both died； and had
thus averted the fate which their misdeeds would else have brought
upon the tribe； the warriors took their bodies and bore them away for
burial honors； the soldiers looking on in silence。 Where the slain men
were buried the whites never knew； but all that night they listened to
the dismal wailing of the dirges with which the tribesmen celebrated
their gloomy funeral rites。
Frontiersmen are not； as a rule； apt to be very superstitious。 They
lead lives too hard and practical； and have too little imagination in
things spiritual and supernatural。 I have heard but few ghost stories
while living on the frontier； and these few were of a perfectly
commonplace and conventional type。
But I once listened to a goblin story which rather impressed me。 It
was told by a grisled； weather…beaten old mountain hunter； named
Bauman； who was born and had passed all his life on the frontier。 He
must have believed what he said； for he could hardly repress a shudder
at certain points of the tale； but he was of German ancestry； and in
childhood had doubtless been saturated with all kinds of ghost and
goblin lore； so that many fearsome superstitions were latent in his
mind； besides； he knew well the stories told by the Indian medicine
men in their winter camps； of the snow…walkers； and the spectres； and
the formless evil beings that haunt the forest depths； and dog and
waylay the lonely wanderer who after nightfall passes through the
regions where they lurk； and it may be that when overcome by the
horror of the fate that befell his friend； and when oppressed by the
awful dread of the unknown； he grew to attribute； both at the time and
still more in remembrance； weird and elfin traits to what was merely
some abnormally wicked and cunning wild beast； but whether this was so
or not； no man can say。
When the event occurred Bauman was still a young man； and was trapping
with a partner among the mountains dividing the forks of the Salmon
from the head of Wisdom River。 Not having had much luck； he and his
partner determined to go up into a particularly wild and lonely pass
through which ran a small stream said to contain many beaver。 The pass
had an evil reputation because the year before a solitary hunter who
had wandered into it was there slain； seemingly by a wild beast； the
half…eaten remains being afterwards found by some mining prospectors
who had passed his camp only the night before。
The memory of this event； however； weighed very lightly with the two
trappers； who were as adventurous and hardy as others of their kind。
They took their two lean mountain ponies to the foot of the pass；
where they left them in an open beaver meadow； the rocky timber…clad
ground being from thence onwards impracticable for horses。 They then
struck out on foot through the vast； gloomy forest； and in about four
hours reached a little open glade where they concluded to camp； as
signs of game were plenty。
There was still an hour or two of daylight left； and after building a
brush lean…to and throwing down and opening their packs； they started
up stream。 The country was very dense and hard to travel through； as
there was much down timber； although here and there the sombre
woodland was broken by small glades of mountain grass。
At dusk they again reached camp。 The glade in which it was pitched was
not many yards wide； the tall； close…set pines and firs rising round
it like a wall。 On one side was a little stream； beyond which rose the
steep mountain…slopes； covered with the unbroken growth of the
evergreen forest。
They were surprised to find that during their short absence something；
apparently a bear； had visited camp； and had rummaged about among
their things； scattering the contents of their packs； and in sheer
wantonness destroying their lean…to。 The footprints of the beast were
quite plain； but at first they paid no particular heed to them；
busying themselves with rebuilding the lean…to； laying out their beds
and stores； and lighting the fire。
While Bauman was making ready supper； it being already dark； his
companion began to examine the tracks more closely； and soon took a
brand from the fire to follow them up； where the intruder had walked
along a game trail after leaving the camp。 When the brand flickered
out； he returned and took another； repeating his inspection of the
footprints very closely。 Coming back to the fire； he stood by it a
minute or two； peering out into the darkness； and suddenly remarked：
〃Bauman； that bear has been walking on two legs。〃 Bauman laughed at
this； but his partner insisted that he was right； and upon again
examining the tracks with a torch； they certainly did seem to be made
by but two paws； or feet。 However； it was too dark to make sure。 After
discussing whether the footprints could possibly be those of a human
being； and coming to the conclusion that they could not be； the two
men rolled up in their blankets； and went to sleep under the lean…to。
At midnight Bauman was awakened by some noise； and sat up in his
blankets。 As he did so his nostrils were struck by a strong； wild…
beast odor； and he caught the loom of a great body in the darkness at
the mouth of the lean…to。 Grasping his rifle； he fired at the vague；
threatening shadow； but must have missed； for immediately afterwards
he heard the smashing of the underwood as the thing； whatever it was；
rushed off into the impenetrable blackness of the forest and the
night。
After this the two men slept but little； sitting up by the rekindled
fire； but they heard nothing more。 In the morning they started out to
look at the few traps they had set the previous evening and to put out
new ones。 By an unspoken agreement they kept together all day； and
returned to camp towards evening。
On nearing it they saw； hardly to their astonishment； that the lean…to
had been again torn down。 The visitor of the preceding day had
returned； and in wanton malice had tossed about their camp kit and
bedding； and destroyed the shanty。 The ground was marked up by its
tracks； and on leaving the camp it had gone along the soft earth by
the brook； where the footprints were as plain as if on snow； and；
after a careful scrutiny of the trail； it certainly did seem as if；
whatever the thing was； it had walked off on but two legs。
The men； thoroughly uneasy； gathered a great heap of dead logs； and
kept up a roaring fire throughout the night； one or the other sitting
on guard most of the time。 About midnight the thing came down through
the forest opposite； across the brook； and stayed there on the hill…
side for nearly an hour。 They could hear the branches crackle as it
moved about； and several times it uttered a harsh； grating； long…drawn
moan； a peculiarly sinister sound。 Yet it did not venture near the
fire。
In the morning the two trappers； after discussing the strange events
of the last thirty…six hours； decided that they would shoulder their
packs and leave the valley that afternoon。 They were the more ready to
do this because in spite of seeing a good deal of game sign they had
caught very little fur。 However； it was necessary first to go along
the line of their traps and gather them； and this they started out to
do。
All the morning they kept together； picking up trap after trap； each
one empty。 On first leaving camp they had the disagreeable sensation
of being followed。 In the dense spruce thickets they occasionally
heard a branch snap after they had passed； and now and then there were
slight rustling noises among the small pines to one side of them。
At noon they were back within a couple of miles of camp。 In the high；
bright sunlight their fears seemed absurd to the two armed men；
accustomed as they were； through long years of lonely wandering in the
wilderness to face every kind of danger from man； brute； or element。
There were still three beaver traps to collect from a little pond in a
wide ravine near by。 Bauman volunteered to gather these and bring them
in； while his companion went ahead to camp and make ready the packs。
On reaching the pond Bauman found three beaver in the traps； one of
which ha